Machine for making wire-and-slat fences



(No Model.) 4 Sh'eets-Sh.eet"1.

W. VAN .HORN. MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE AND SLAT FENCES.

No.293,382. Patented Peb.'1'2,l884'.

N. PLIERs. PllOlO-Lillwgmph mmmm mm nglun. D c.

(Ne Model.) 4 Sheets-.-Sheet 2.

' W. VAN HORN.

I MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE AND SLAT PEN 0E3- N0. 293,382.

Patented Feb. 12, 18 84.

' (No Model.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

-W. VAN HORN. I MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE AND SLAT FENCES.

No. 293,382, Patented Feb; 12, 1884 Ja L'MZW?@R N. PETERS. Ph

(No Model.) 4 Sheets- Sheet 4.

W. VA E RN MACHINE FOR. MAKING WIRE AND SLAT FENCES, No. 293,382. Patented Feb. 12, 1884.

Srn'rns WVILLIAM VAN HORN, OF PIQUA, OHIO.

- MACHINE FOR MAKING WlRE-AND-SLAT Fences.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 293,382,'dated February 12;, 1884.

l Application filed July 13, 1883. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM VAN HORN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Piqua, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Fences, ofwhich the following is a specification,

reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. l

My invention relates to improvements in machines for making picket-fences in which two strands of wire are twisted together between the pickets or slats, making one runner of wire for each two. strands.

- It especially relates to that class of fence frame, with the spools arranged therein. Fig; 5 represents a similar plan view, but showing a slightly-modified arrangement of spools, and also showing the twisting mechanism. Fig. .6 represents a plan view of the twisterhead, shaft, and spool-frame with the twisterhead closed. Fig. 7 represents a blank or piece of flat metal from which the twister-head and spool-frame are bent or formed in one integral piece. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form of the twisting mechanism, a sideview of which is seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another form oftwister-head and shaft and spool-frame. Fig. 10 represents a perspective view of an improved reel. Figs. 11,12, and 13 are detail views, in perspective, of the reel. Fig. 14 is aperspective view of the slat or picket adjuster. Fig. 15. shows a perspective view of the slatspacer. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the reel collapsed.

My machine consists of the following essentialelements: a series of twisters, atmthe rear end of which are the spool-frames, which are made integral with the twisters, said frames having forwardly-extending arms, which serve as wire-guards and a hollow shaft for guiding the wires and forming'a bearing for said arms and the twister-heads. To the rear end of In the accompanying drawings, A repre-.v

sents any convenient frame for supporting, and on which the operative parts of the machine aremounted. Power is communicated to the gear-wheels B and from thence to the operative parts from any suitable source. -In the drawings I have represented said gears as operated by means of a hand-crank, ,O, and shafts D, which latter are shown as journaled in bearings a in the cross-bars E and F, of the framing, and having one of said gears mounted on the inner ends thereof or in any convenient position, and said gears as engaging the others of the train, so as to transmit their motion thereto; but any other desired means-for imparting rotary motion to said gears may be employed, as found convenient.

G represents shafts mounted at one end in suitable bearings,.b, in the frame, and each having mounted thereon one of the train of gears, B, and havingits opposite end connected with or attached to the rear of one of v the combined spool-frames and wire-twisters, j As the shaft or to be presently-described. shafts D are rotated, the gears B rotate and transmit the desired rotary motion to the spool-frames and twister-heads, and thustwist the wires projecting from said twister-heads. These gears may, by causing theshaft or shafts D to turn correspondingly, be turned continuously in one direction, thereby turning the wire-twister heads continuously in one direction, and consequently giving the wire runners a continuous twist in one direction; but motion in a reverse direction can at any time be imparted to the said shafts by correspondingly turning the crank O, by which means the wire may be twisted alternatelyin opposite directions whenever desired.

.H represents the spool-frame, which, ac-

IOU

cording to my invention, is formed integrally with the twister-head I. This combined-spoolframe and twister-head is formed out of a single piece of metal, either by casting or by bending or shaping the same into a rectangular or nearly rectangular shape at or about its central portion, within which the spool or spools are mounted, and then continuing or extending the remaining portion of said metal forwardly in the form of arms 0, which serve as wire-guards, and then finally bending the outer ends into rectangular form, so as to form the twister-head, substantially as shown at I.

J represents a hollow tube or shaft journaled in bearings in the cross-bar F, for guiding the wires to the twister-head, which have suitable holes in their front ends, through whichthe wires pass to the slats. This tube or shaft J embraces the twister-head I and arms 0 in the manner shown, and it may be either cast integrally with the twister and spool-frame or formed separately therefrom and attached to the twister in any suitable manner, and the gears B may, if desired, be mounted upon said tubes or shafts J in advance of the spool-frames.

In the drawings I have shown aslight modification, in which the spool-frame and wireguarding arms are formed integrally; but the twister-head is formed separately therefrom. In this form of construction the wire-guiding hollow tube or shaft J is inserted between the outer ends of the arms 0, and secured thereto, and the inner ends of the twister-head are attached to the opposite end of said tube or shaft J.

9 represents the rear cross-piece of the spoolholder, and to which the twister-shaft G is connected.

hreprcsents a crossbar secured to the front of the spool-frame for the purpose of keeping the wire, as it is paid from the spool or spools mounted within said spool-frame, from spreading and reeling off the spools too readily,which it would do in the absence of such an arrangement, unless the spools were provided with a tension device.

6 represents the spools,which are mounted,

within the spool-frame in vertical position upon a removable spindle, f.

i represents a cross-bar extending rearwardly from the cross-bar h and within the spoolframe,for the purpose of supporting the spindle, where one is used for two spools, during the temporary removal of either spool, as hereinafter explained.

In the drawings I have shown five twisterheads with five spool-frames. Two of these spool-frames are shown as placed in front of the other three, so as to give ample room for the spoolframes to revolve without coming in contact with each other; but said sp0olframes and spools may be placed side by side in continuous line, if desired, in which case the arms a will be of equal length. At the point where the arms 0 spread apart in the three rear spool-frames,when a portion of the spool-frames are'arranged in rear of the reter.

mainder, I place the wire-guides d. guides are not needed in the front frames, as the distance from the spools to the twisterjournals and wire-guiding shafts J is much shorter; but where the spool-frames are arranged side by side, and the guides (l are not needed, and when the gears B are mounted in advance of the spool-frames, such gears will have holes therein, through which the wires pass to the twister-heads.

In the drawings I have shown two spools,e, placed upon one removable spindle, f, and when it is desired to remove a spool from the spool-frame H, I turn said frame II so that the spindle f stands vertically; then I remove the nut at the upper or lower end of the spindle, according to whether I wish to remove the upper or lower spool, and then draw the spindle from within the spool, after which the spool is easily taken from within the frame.

It is not essentialto this construction of spool-frame that both spools shall be placed upon the same spindle, as a separate spindle .may be used for each spool, if desired, and

one spool be placed in front of the other with a crossbar between the1n,similar to the crossbars 9 and h, and also two wires may be wound upon one spool, instead of using a separate spool for each wire, providing the wires are wound evenly, so as to be paid off from the spools uniformly.

The central supporting bar or arm, 13, is not absolutely essential to this construction of a spool-frame, but assists to hold the spool-spindle steady when removing a spool. The wires are passed directly from the spools e to and through the shafts J and through holes 8 in the twister-heads I. These holes 3 are shown in Fig. 9. As there are no pinions or gearwheels needed on these wire-guiding shafts or tubes J, they may be made very small-about one and a half inch in diameter-with holes through them about one-half inch in diame- The wires will be sufficiently spread apart by the holes 8 in the twister-head I.

This manner of constructing the wire-guiding and twister -journaling shafts and twisterheads allowsbut a small amount of surface for friction in the journaling, thereby making a light-running machine.

I11 Fig. 14 is shown a perspective view of a slat-adjuster, the operation of which I will now describe. K is a rock-shaft, j ournaled in bearings in the main frame, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Rigidly keyed to this shaft K is an arm, j. L represents an arm hinged at one end by a short eonnectingbar, k, to the upper end of the arm Z, and fastened at its opposite end to the cross-bar Z, to which is attached the slat-pushers m. To one end of the rock-shaft K is attached a treadle, 'M. When a picket or slat has been fed in between the wires, the operator places his foot upon the treadle M, which, being fulcrumed at it, causes a rocking motion to be given to the shaft K. This rocking motion of the shaft K causes a forward movement of the arms j, which, by

The wire- I to the armsm.

spacer.

their connections, impart aforward movement This forward movement of the slat-pusher arms m brings them in contact with the lastpicket fed in between the wires, and shoves it away from the twister-head I and forward against the last twist of the wires, where it is held securely while the wires are being twisted behind the slat. The rock-shaft K is now caused to rock back 'to its first position by simply raising the outer end of the treadle M, which may be done in various ways. For instance, a spring may be placed so as to raise the outer end, or a handle may be employed by which it may be lifted by the hand, or a weight may be attached to a string run over a pulley with one end of the string attached to the end of the treadle.

Fig. 15 shows a perspective view of the slat- The arms 0 0 are hinged to the main frame at p fromthe' cross-bar (1. Lugs T and s extend downward, r being stationary and s beingremovable. to drop down upon the fence, as shown in Fig. 1, the lugss will be in front of one slat, while the lugs T will be in front of the last slat, which last slat is forced against said lugs 0" previous to making the twist in the wire in the rear of the slat. W'henit is, desired to reel the fence back, take hold of the slat-spacer handle tand lift it until the lugs come from between the slats, when the fence may be wound back onto the reel. When the last slat is between the lugs 1- and s, drop the slatspacer so that the pin 8 will be in front of the last slat and the lugs 1* will be in the rear of it. The further reeling of the fence will bring the last slat taut against the lugs s. Anew slat may now be fed in and pushed down taut against the pins 1', thus securing a uniform distance between the slats. The lug s is made removable and adjustable to different holes, so as to enable one to make fence with slats nearer together or farther apart, as desired.

Fig. 10 is an improved reel, the construction and operation of which I will nowdescribe. In'Figs. 11,.12, and 13 are shown detail views of this same reel. to u are wooden supporting-arms hinged at one end to the pins 00, placed in holes in the end piece or shaft or journal.

frame, 51 z is a key hinged at one end to the frame 1) at a. The other end is to be placed in the notch Z) of the end piece or frame, and pinned down, as shown in Fig. 1. By this means the loose ends of the wires are clamped fast to the supporting-arms u, as shown in Fig. 1. WVhen sufficient fencing has been made and wound upon the reel, the reel can be readily removed from the center of. the bundle that has been wound upon it, and the bundle rolled out of the machine. This removal is accomplished as follows: Remove pins 0 from the straps w, retaining the shaft Z). Then remove the arm d from the end of the short Then take hold of the short shaft or journal f and pull the frame y from When the spacer is allowed the ends of the arms a, when the arms a will drop together, the key 2 having previously been released from the parts 3 9 is hinged at one end in the slot in the end of u, and at the other end between the ears w of the frame r, so that the arms a will drop close together after the frame yhas been removed, thereby lessening the space they occupy, when, by tak ing hold of the shafts 0, they are easily re moved without loosening them from the frame 12. It will be observed that there is no cen tral shaft the whole length of the reel, as it "would prevent the arms a from dropping close together, and it is not necessary in this con-.

.for the purpose of guiding the wires to the twister-head, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fenceemachine, a combined spoolframe and twister-head, consisting of a spoolholder having a rear cross-piece and side arms,

.said side arms being extended inwardly and forwardly to form wire-guarding arms, and

having their outer ends perforated to receive the wires and formed into a twister-head, sub stantially as set forth.

3. In a fence-machine, a combined spoolframe and twister-head, consisting of a spoolholder having a rear cross-piece and side arms, said side arms being extended inwardly andforwardly to form wire-guarding arms, and having their outer ends perforated to receive the wires and formed into a twister-head, and provided with a hollow shaft or tube for guiding the wires to the twister-head and forming a bearing for the wire-guarding arms and twister-head, substantially as set forth.

4. The spool-frame H, having vertically-ex tending rear cross-bar, 9, side bars and wireguarding arms, 0, formed integrally, and a front cross-bar, h, having a rearwardly-extending arm, t", for supporting the spool-spindle during the removal of a spool, substantially as set forth.

5. The slatspacer herein described, consisting of the arms 0, hinged or pivoted at their rear ends to the main frame of the machine,

and a notch, b b, in its upper edge, an end block, 1:, having a shaft or journal, 0, extend or journal, f, extending outwardlytherefrom,

ing 011tward1y therefrom, and having ears w, In testimony whereof I affix iny signaturein longitudinal arms at, hinged at one end hepresence of two witnesses. tween the ears 10, supported at their opposite ends within the block 3 by pins 00, and a key, \VILLIAMI VAN HORN.

5 z, having hinge-conneotion at one end with I the end block 12, its opposite end engaging the Witnesses:

notch b, substantially as and for the purpose I ANGUS G. CAMPBELL,

. set forth. PEARL I. HEDGEs. 

